College Achievers: UCLA’s Dugalić among the nation’s top players off the bench

UCLA graduate student Angela Dugalić, a 6-foot-4 forward who graduated from Maine West in the Class of 2020, was named the Big Ten Conference Sixth Player of the Year last Tuesday.

Dugalić has played in every game for the No. 2 Bruins, who improved to 31-1 after Sunday’s Big Ten Conference championship game victory over Iowa. She averages 9.2 points on 53% shooting from the floor and 81% from the foul line, 5.2 rebounds, 1.1 steals, and has made 25 three-pointers, fifth on the team.

According to UCLA, Dugalić is the nation’s only non-starter to average better than 9 points, 5 rebounds, 1 steal, and shoot better than 50% from the field and 35% from 3-point range.

A member of the Serbian National Team and a former McDonald’s All-American and Gatorade player of the year at Maine West, Dugalić started out at Oregon before transferring to UCLA after her freshman year in college.

Combine climber

Former University of Kansas offensive lineman Enrique Cruz (Willowbrook), who in January we reported would play in the All-American Bowl, opened eyes at the NFL Scouting Combine in Indianapolis.

Weighing in at 313 pounds at 6-5, he drew praise from NFL writer John Shook, who named him to his “All-Combine Team”; and Sports Illustrated’s Daniel Flisk, who listed Cruz among his offensive linemen “Combine Risers.”

Cruz, who currently lives in Georgia, had hoped to land an NFL invite to the combine. He got the good news via email in late January.

In Indianapolis, his standing broad jump of 9 feet, 8 inches was second among offensive linemen. His 35-inch vertical jump tied for second-best, and his 40-yard dash time of 4.94 seconds tied for seventh.

“I technically was the fastest runner. I hit 20.6 miles per hour,” Cruz said Thursday over the phone.

“I’ve been working and practicing a lot of this stuff for a couple months now, so I was going in pretty confidently.”

Able to play either guard or tackle (he mainly played tackle at Kansas after transferring from Syracuse), Cruz said he spoke with representatives from 14 NFL teams. He said they tried to determine his “football knowledge,” and got to know what he was like as a person.

“I got all good feedback,” Cruz said.

Rated by NFL.com as the 14th overall prospect at offensive tackle — but fourth based on athleticism — analyst Lance Zierlein thinks a third-round pick may be in order.

Cruz will attend a smaller combine, Kansas’ “pro day,” on Wednesday, and will continue to meet with NFL teams before the NFL Draft on April 23-25.

“The job’s nowhere near finished,” Cruz said. “I’ve got to keep on working to accomplish my dreams.”

Smarties

In February the College Conference of Illinois-Wisconsin announced its fall selections for the Jack Swartz Academic All-Conference awards. They are limited to a male and female athlete at each member school, per season. Recipients must be at their school for at least a year, and must hold an overall grade-point average of 3.50 or higher.

The fall Jack Swartz Award winners included Wheaton College senior cross country runner Louisa Brorson (Hinsdale Central), Carthage College sophomore football player Jack DeFilippis (Maine South), and Illinois Wesleyan soccer player Sam Kedzior (Cary-Grove).

Banner year

Exactly one month ago today we reported on Belmont University sophomore forward Drew Scharnowski (Burlington Central). With good reason.

Last Wednesday the Missouri Valley Conference announced its men’s all-conference basketball teams. The 6-9 Scharnowski was all over them. He made first-team all-conference, all-defensive, and most-improved. He’s also an MVC scholar-athlete.

As a redshirt freshman in 2024-25 Scharnowski made two starts and played in 25 games, averaging 5.5 points and 3 rebounds. This season he started 24 of 30 games while averaging 10.7 points on 68% shooting, 6 rebounds, 1.3 blocks, and a 1.47 assist-turnover ratio.

Also in the MVC, Valparaiso forward J.T. Pettigrew attended Bolingbrook High School, but grew up in Lisle. The 6-8 freshman was a third-team pick who made the MVC all-freshman team, second in the voting. Starting 30 of 32 games, Pettigrew averaged 12.2 points and 6.6 rebounds, second and first respectively for the Beacons.